Week Ten Preview: Texas, Texas Tech Face Off in Lubbock
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By Tim Letcher
NCAAFootball.com
College football fans are gearing up for an old fashioned Southwest shootout on Saturday when the top-ranked Texas Longhorns visit the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Texas will be playing its fourth straight game against a ranked opponent, and for the first time in that stretch, the game will be on the road. The Longhorns have handled Oklahoma on a neutral field, and have won home games against Missouri and Oklahoma State, but this weekend, they take their number one ranking to Lubbock to face the high-scoring Red Raiders.
This game will also have an impact on the Heisman Trophy race. The two gun-slinging quarterbacks are each in the race for the big trophy, and, to this point in the season, it would be hard to argue with either of their statistics.
Texas signal caller Colt McCoy is the general for the nation’s top-ranked team, throwing for 2,285 yards and accounting for 28 touchdowns on the season. Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell, playing in the Red Raiders’ pass-happy offense, has thrown for 3,147 yards and has accounted for 34 touchdowns.
This game figures to come down to which team has the ball last, as Texas averages 45.6 points per game, while Texas Tech scores 48 points per contest. The defenses haven’t been great, as the Longhorns give up only 18.4 points per game, while the Red Raiders have given up 21.1 points per outing. But that’s more than adequate when you have the offenses that these teams provide.
The game kicks off at 8:00 Eastern time on ABC.
Other games to watch
1. Georgia vs. Florida (3:30 ET, CBS) – In the Bulldogs’ 42-30 win last season, the entire Georgia team came onto the field following their first touchdown of the game. Despite public assurances from Urban Meyer and Mark Richt that the incident is in the past, you can be sure that the Gators will be using it as motivation this week. Another motivating factor: the loser is likely out of the race for the SEC East and the national championship. One other note: the Heisman candidacies of Tim Tebow and Knowshon Moreno will become clearer after this game.
2. Oregon at California (3:30 ET, ABC) – Jeff Tedford’s Bears have been inconsistent for the most part this season, but the one thing that has been a constant has been playing well at Memorial Stadium. Cal is 4-0 at home on the season, and that’s where this week’s game against the Ducks is being held. Oregon has two road wins on the season, but the victories over Purdue and Washington State don’t carry much weight. However, the Ducks’ only two losses have come to nationally-ranked opponents Boise State and USC.
3. Tulsa at Arkansas (2 ET, No television) – There are a couple of interesting subplots in this one. First, Tulsa is one of the eight remaining unbeaten teams in the country (see list below), and this figures to be the toughest challenge remaining for Todd Graham’s team. The other interesting angle: Tulsa’s current offensive coordinator is Gus Malzahn, who served in the same capacity at Arkansas before an ugly exit. Can Malzahn gain some measure of revenge when he brings his high-powered offense to Fayetteville to face Bobby Petrino’s Hogs?
4. Florida State at Georgia Tech (3:30 ET, ABC) – At 3-1 in the ACC’s Atlantic Division, Florida State is tied for the lead with Maryland. After last week’s loss to Virginia, Georgia Tech is now 3-2 and trailing the Cavaliers in the ACC’s Coastal Division. So this game is very important for both teams. Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles have seen a resurgence this year, finding themselves ranked 16th in the latest coaches poll. Georgia Tech, in its first year under Paul Johnson, begins a stretch of four games against tough teams to end the season (Florida State, at North Carolina, Miami and at Georgia).
5. Pittsburgh at Notre Dame (2:30 ET, NBC) – The Panthers opened the season with a stunning 27-17 loss to Bowling Green at home. Since then, the Panthers had won five in a row, and appeared to be on a roll, until last week’s 54-34 thumping at the hands of Rutgers. Dave Wannstedt’s team is tied for second in the Big East, and while this game has no bearing on those standings, it could develop momentum for a team that needs it. For the Fighting Irish, a win would make them bowl eligible and would keep them perfect at home on the season.
Five for the Heisman
1. Colt McCoy, Texas – In last week’s 28-24 win over No. 7 Oklahoma State, McCoy did something he hadn’t done in a while: he looked human. However, his 38-of-45 passing, for 391 yards and two touchdowns, along with 10 rushes for 41 yards and a TD overcame any shortcomings he might have had. On the season, McCoy is 198-of-242 passing for 2,285 yards, with 21 TDs and only four interceptions. He also has 80 rushes for 412 yards and seven touchdowns.
2. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma – Bradford’s outing in a 58-35 win over Kansas State wasn’t his best. He was 13-of-32 passing for 255 yards, with three touchdowns. He also ran once for a yard and a touchdown. For the season, the Sooner signal caller is 183-of-270 passing for 2,775 yards, has 29 TDs, and 5 interceptions. Bradford has also rushed 23 times for minus-13 yards and three scores.
3. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech – Harrell continues to put up other-worldly numbers. In Saturday’s 63-21 win at Kansas, he was 34-of-42 passing for 386 yards and five TDs. He also ran the ball seven times for 14 yards and a score. On the season, Harrell is 256-of-360 passing for a nation-leading 3,147 yards, with 28 TDs and five interceptions. He also has 20 rushes for 14 yards and six TDs.
4. Tim Tebow, Florida – Tebow was pulled early in Saturday’s 63-5 whipping of Kentucky. For the game, he was 11-of-15 passing for 180 yards and two scores, with one interception. He also rushed nine times for 48 yards and a pair of touchdowns. For the season, the 2007 Heisman winner is 104-of-164 passing for 1,415 yards, 12 TDs and two interceptions. He also has 82 rushes for 227 yards and five TDs.
5. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia – Moreno earned SEC player of the week honors for the second straight week after rushing for 163 yards on 21 carries, and adding a touchdown in a 52-38 win at LSU. For the year, Moreno has 925 yards rushing on 149 carries, with 12 TDs. He also has 14 receptions for 143 yards and has returned two punts for 30 yards.
Wild card, Chase Daniel, Missouri – Daniel rebounded nicely last week in a 58-0 thumping of Colorado. Daniel was 31-of-37 passing for 302 yards with five TDs, and an interception. He also had 5 rushes for 34 yards. For the season, Daniel is 220-of-286 passing for 2,675 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has added 31 rushes for 146 yards, and a TD.
Remaining unbeatens
Texas – Record: 8-0; Rankings 1 by coaches/1 by AP; This week – at Texas Tech; Toughest game remaining: This week at Texas Tech.
Alabama – Record: 8-0; Rankings: 2/2; This week – vs. Arkansas State; Toughest game remaining: Nov. 8 at LSU.
Penn State – Record: 9-0; Rankings: 3/3; This week – Off; Toughest game remaining: Nov. 22 vs. Michigan State.
Texas Tech – Record: 8-0; Rankings 5/6; This week – vs. Texas; Toughest game remaining: Nov. 22 at Oklahoma.
Utah – Record: 8-0; Rankings: 9/10; This week – at New Mexico; Toughest game remaining: Nov. 22 vs. BYU.
Boise State – Record: 7-0; Rankings: 11/11; This week – at New Mexico State; Toughest game remaining: Nov. 28 vs. Fresno State.
Ball State – Record: 8-0; Rankings: 19/18; This week – Off; Toughest game remaining: Nov. 19 at Central Michigan.
Tulsa – Record: 8-0; Rankings: 18/19; This week – at Arkansas; Toughest game remaining: This week at Arkansas.
Division I Championship Subdivision Headlines
No. 3 Wofford visits No. 2 Appalachian State on Friday, Halloween night.
Fifth-ranked Northern Iowa visits No. 12 Western Illinois in a key Missouri Valley Conference battle.
Division II Headlines
Fourth-ranked Bloomsburg hosts No. 19 West Chester in a huge PSAC battle.
No. 23 Arkansas-Monticello hits the road to take on sixth-ranked North Alabama.
Division III Headlines
In a battle of top ten teams, seventh-ranked Millsaps travels to No. 8 Trinity.
No. 10 Wisconsin-Whitewater, coming off of an upset loss to Wisconsin-Stevens Point, faces another intrastate foe, 23rd-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
